


life after life

by Dhamphiric_Dragon



Category: AFK Arena (Video Game)
Genre: Estrilda has gay zombie dads and is ok with it, M/M, Mutual Pining, Slight necrophillia (does that apply if they're both corpses though?, light lemon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 06:02:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21230984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dhamphiric_Dragon/pseuds/Dhamphiric_Dragon
Summary: after many years apart Baden finds thane, but not in the way he had hoped, loosely based on the song "life after life" from the musical "Dracula" via request hope you like it!





	life after life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SDomino09](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SDomino09/gifts).

> this was requested and i do not own the characters or the song from the musical, this is fanfiction and falls under parody AKA fair use, don't like yaoi please don't read and then send hate because then i willl have to look at you and go "why? just why?"

This is it, great swordsman Thane of House Rayne had finally met his match on the battlefield and collapsed to his knees trying to hold himself steady with his sword arm. It was almost nostalgic really. The first time he had nearly fallen into Annihs embrace was when he and Baden faced off against the Mauler warrior who had mangled his arm. 'Baden... i'm so sorry....first I failed you, and now I failed her too...' his eyes shut as the Hypogean attacked the fallen swordsman and knocked him flat on his back before the thundering sound of horse hooves approched and the hypogean was cut down. "THANE!" the rider got off their horse and went to assist her fallen master, eyes which shared her fathers hue shining with unshed tears as she desperately and frantically tried to call for help. "It's no use Estrilda....I'm so sorry..." he did his best to smile despite the pain coursing through his body. "I’m so proud of you and what you have accomplished, and I know your father would be too." Estrilda couldn't hold back then as she cried holding onto her mentors dying body. "Don't say that! you will live! I will make sure of it! Please just don't leave me! I can’t lose you now!" Thane could only smile sympathetically. "Estrilda, please, if I should die here then grant me one final request" Estrilda paused and wiped her tears away as best she could. "Yes? What is it?' Thane smiled, "I want you to smile for me, no matter how hard life gets, no matter how much you want to give up, I want you to think of me and not mourn that I am gone, we all must go eventually, but I want you to remember my life and smile at all the memories we have made together." Estrildas eyes widened at the strange request but none the less understood her mentors intentions, so she smiled the best smile she could muster as she held Thanes body close to her own. "I understand, goodbye master" "Goodbye Estrilda, may we see each other again in in the afterlife....." and with those final words his body became limp in her arms as help finally arrived too late, all completely unaware of the necromancer and lone Graveborn surveying the scene from afar.

He was to be buried by the old Rayne manor. a sort of "thank you" since only members of the immediate family were permitted to being buried there. Estrilda was in charge of making the funeral arrangements, all the while smiling as her master wanted, she was the head of her family, she couldn't afford to be weak now, not when her mentor asked her to remain strong for him. She became so enraptured in her work that she was unaware of the two sets of eyes watching her from afar. "She is strong, such a shame she is so young, Quedam may yet have had a use for her." The necromancer replied coolly with a wicked smirk on his face, he had received word that there was a battle nearby and Thane was to be a part of it, battles meant death, and death meant endless soldiers he could supply Quedam with. Baden could only roll his eyes. "leave her out of this, she isn't who we are here for." truth be told, if the necromancer thought Baden was going to let his daughter meet the same fate as the man he loved he was in for a VERY rude awakening and for once the Lich that controlled his body was in agreement. "We are only here for thane and that is all." "Patience Graveborn, or have you forgotten that I only agreed because it is Thane we are adding to Quedams ranks?" the necromancer glared at Baden who could only glare back, once night came they could take Thanes body virtually undetected and ressurect him as a Graveborn. Ah, the thought of Thane as a Graveborn always managed to make Baden hot under the collar as of late. The notion that Thane would live a new life after his first life was cut short was a soothing thought, the image of thanes eyes taking on the same glowing green hue as he became reborn as a new immortal being was maddening in the best way, a sick pleasured shutter ran throughout his body as the Graveborn thane in his minds eye smiled the same way as he did in life, acted as he was in life as his skin took on an ashen complexion, perhaps Baden would be the one to help thane with his new hunger he would find himself with? Whatever the case may have been he couldn’t let Thane go so easily, he wouldn’t let him go again.  
Night came faster than Baden anticipated but he was ready. The plan was simple enough, sneak into house Rayne since he knew the many ways one could do so and take Thanes body to a nearby cave where the Necromancer was waiting to perform the ritual that would give Thane unlife. Getting in was easy enough but Baden knew better, getting to his love and getting out would be the challenge here. He made his way through the halls that he had always known growing up, once so full of life and now silent and empty as everyone was sleeping, his glowing green eyes easily seeing his way to the room they kept Thane in until he reached a room with a large oak door with dragons elegantly carved into the door, his old room, how fitting. He opened the door and his breath hitched at the sight before him. Thane was laid out on his bed in full armor as was customary for Rayne family burials, his single arm laid over his chest where the wound inflicted on him had been patched up. He approached silently as the smell of Thanes blood started to fill his nostrils and his head became clouded by it, he didn’t snap back to reality until realized he was drooling over the idea of devouring Thane and quickly cleared his head to begin his work.  
He looked upon Thanes peaceful face with love and adoration for his fellow swordsman, he couldn’t let Thane slip away from him again, this time he wouldn’t fail him. He carefully removed his mask and place a hand delicately on a cold cheek, life having long left His body by now, and delicately kissed his forehead and whispered in a soft and gentle voice “soon we will be reunited my love, and this time, no one will ever come between us again, this I swear to you.” He kissed Thane on the lips and quickly replaced his mask as footsteps started approaching, no doubt they were Estrildas by the sound and how certain they seemed to be of the direction they were headed. No time to wait around any longer as he scooped up Thanes body like a groom carrying his new wife and started for the widow. he had just gotten his foot onto the sill when a female voice rang out. “UNHAND HIM CRIMINAL!” Baden only turned to face her slightly and her face lit up with recognition. “y-you can’t be…” she looked down before she looked up determined. “if you truly are him…. And you’re going to do what I think you are…. You have my blessings…. please….just make sure he is safe and happy..” Baden only hummed in response. “thank you… but If you value what life you have girl then do not follow me.” and with that he leapt from the window with Thanes corpse in tow.  
The necromancer looked over the supplies for the ritual that he had gathered. Everything was set and ready, all he needed now was the body and Quedam would have a new powerful member of his ranks, surely his lord would be pleased with the results. Baden entered only moments later with the guest of honor. “Ah~ there you are~ shall we begin?” Baden only nodded in reply and gently laid Thane down on the ritual circle. The necromancer looked over the body and sewed the unappealing gash shut, too bad he was harmed and it would never heal on its own, oh well, waste not want not he figured. He quickly took notice of Thanes missing arm and clicked his tongue in annoyance. “that won’t do” he looked to Baden who had been watching the Necromancer intencely the whole time and grinned. “I have a task for you, go find him a new arm” “why? He has been well off without one” Baden argued getting impatient. “because if you don’t then I will, and for your purposes for him he will need both arms” Baden glared but did not argue, he knew full well that no matter how insufferable he was, the mage was right. “fine, go get the arm, I’ll guard here” rebellious then, this was fine he supposed, he could then at least find a suitable arm for such a powerful warrior without needing to worry that his hideout is compromised and make sure the arm was of good stock himself. “have it your way” he said and chuckled as he left the Rayne with his soon to be ressuected lover.  
He scoured the battlefield high and low, yet no matter how many arms he looked at none seems quite right. The necromancer was growing frustrated as the minutes turned into hours of fuitless searching. He soon stumbled upon the Hypogean that had killed the swordsman in battle and grinned. “perhaps this wasn’t a loss after all” he quickly got to work hacking off the arm to salvage as much as he could from the Hypogean corpse and making it back to the cave as fast as he could. Back at the cave Baden had taken to stroking Thanes hair with a content look on his face. “do not fret my love, once we are together again no one will come between us.” Images of Thanes nude body sprawled out under him as he stoked the mass expance of his broaud chest and left marks of his affection on Thane assaulted his mind and he simply let the musings continue even though he knew he shouldn’t, thane as a graveborn and throwing his pride assind and begging for him to just hurry and fuck him was too good of an image to pass on. He smiled to himself as the necromancer reentered with the Hypogean arm in tow. Baden stared wide eyed at the arm. “what is the meaning of this?!” Baden shouted angrily. The necromancer chuckled and smirked. “he is being reborn as an immortal being, I only saw it fitting that I use the arm of the beast who gifted him with the opportunity to serve the new god of the dead Quedam!” Badens eyes widened as he realized the mages desire but the lich prevented him from arguing. The necromancer quickly got to work attaching the arm to the body so it would function then began the ritual. All Baden could do was watch as Thanes body became ashen and pale as the ritual progressed, a dark aura surrounding Thanes body as The necromancer recited the spell that would awaken Thane from his eternal rest. When the ritual finished the air was still, at first it seemed the ritual failed, until there was a tell tale twitch of his fingers, a groan erupted from his throat as his eyes opened, no longer the dark brown hue of his friend, but replaced with the soft glow of green irises on black sclera to match his own. “B-Baden?” his voice was hoarse, throat dry from lack of use while he was dead. He could barely sit up without Badens help. He looked to his friend in disbelief, then understanding. “I should be dead” “and yet here you are” Banden countered causing Thane to chuckle. “So I am” And he was hungry, it wasn’t like normal hunger, this was more primal, deeply rooted, like he was ravenous. Baden saw the look of hunger in his lovers matching orbs and knew. “allow mw to remedy this for you” He stood and glared at the necromancer blade drawn. “you saw it fitting to use that arm, don’t blame me for finding this to be a suitable demise for you.” The mage tried to run but Baden was too fast, sending out shadow clones he trapped the mage and made quick work of killing him.  
When he returned to the cave he found his love was examining his new arm while trying to stand and could only smile fondly. “here, you need to eat and regain your strength” Thane was shocked at his friend but even more so at himself that he readily accepted the corpse and devoured it without a second thought. “I…I guess I should go see Estrilda so she can see I am ok…she must be so worried. He looked to Baden and removed his loves mask before he pulled him into a deep kiss, his Hypogean arm tangling itself into his hair as Baden pulled him close. He broke away for a moment to breathe. “Then perhaps afterwards we can hunt together as before~” Baden felt his heart flutter and smiled at how easily thane had accepted and embraced this new life. “come then, Estrilda misses you greatly” Baden admitted as he lead the way out the cave with Thane in tow.  
Estrilda was training as she always had, only now her movements seemed mechanical, there was no feeling to them, no drive now that her mento wasn’t there to tell her her faults. “you’re too stiff, loosen up or the enemy will take advantage of you.” Yeah, just like that, she could still hear his voice- wait a moment. She whipped her head around and gasped as she saw her teacher standing there before her. Overcome with emotion she ran to him and hugged him tightly sobbing into his shoulder as baden watched from nearby in the shadows with a smile on his lips. “all I ask is he makes you happy” she said and looked determined at Thane. If he does not I will give him a swift second death. Thanes eyes widened before he chuckled at his pupils antics. “I have now doubt you will. Now then, back to training with you.” “yes sir!” she saluted and turned on her heel and went back to training as thane guided her. But to Baden, the scene was absolutely perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> constructive criticism is welcome as always!


End file.
